A little part of the way.....

I rose a little earlier this morning. Lit a candle in prayer. I sat at my computer and played, "This Land is Your Land," "We Shall Overcome," and "Lift Every Voice and Sing," from my itunes collection. I said some more prayers, of gratitude and for protection for our new president.

Then I folded some laundry and took it to the bedroom.

Then I/we turned on the TV and watched the goings on. I/we joined with millions of Americans and billions of world citizens as we celebrated democracy.

As the journalists queried many, they proclaimed Dr. King's Dream fulfilled. Nope. Not even close. Not even close.

Dr. King's dream was only a little tiny bit about getting a solitary, brilliant African-American elected to the presidency. His dream was about America -- then the world -- embracing the Way -- nonviolence -- the Way of Gandhi and of Christ. Electing a brilliant African-American president is the easy part. Nothing to it -- compared.... Nonviolence -- for me, for you, for all of us -- that's the hard part.

We've come a long way. And I'm truly joyful about this wonderful day.

But we've hardly started. Jesus. This Jesus is so radical, so subversive, we can hardly imagine it. I've a long, long way to go. We've a long, long way to go. A long way before The Dream is fulfilled.

Shalom,
Warren

Our Little Warriors

I said to Betty, "It kind of weirds me out to think I'd spend good money to watch two little boys having a fight." She said, "Well yes. I'd be trying to get them to stop!" I was on my way to the Cliff Keen Tulsa Nationals -- (one of?) the biggest youth wrestling tournaments in the country. 2,400 (that's right) boys from ages 6 through 15 were entered. They came from Pennsylvania, Indiana, Ohio, Texas, Nebraska, Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and many other locations.

As I watched the combatants battle it out for a place on the podium, I observed a common phenomenon for those who lost: they did what comes normally and naturally in defeat: THEY CRIED. They'd given it their all, and it wasn't good enough. So THEY CRIED. And I was able to observe another, related, very interesting phenomenon: with the exception of a brief hug or pat on the shoulder, their coaches, their opponents, their parents pretty much ignored it; allowed it to happen. No child was shamed or scolded or admonished for their tears. Let them cry. No one was picked up and cuddled or soothed or offered sympathy. Just let them cry. Losing hurts.

But soon the tears were over, the child had pretty much soothed himself, and he went on with business.

Sometimes the winners cried, too. Sport can be stressful.

We see editorials about our youth being passive, lazy and out of shape. Not these kids. We see articles about our youth being coddled. Not these kids. We see some "helicopter parents" protecting their offspring from all emotional and physical risk. Let 'em take up wrestling.

I have an idea that when the time comes these young men will be adequately prepared and goal-directed for life's inevitable challenges.

Peace,
Warren

Born again....and again.....and again

Many years ago, I don't even remember exactly when, on a cold, snowy January weekend like today, I made a spiritual retreat to Abbey Gethsemani, the Trappist monastery near Bardstown, Kentucky. I will spare you some of the lengthy details of the event, but I had a profound mystical experience during the retreat; in the language of some, I was "born again" -- again. Part of the provocation of that mystical experience was some statuary in the woods -- statues of the disciples, asleep at the edge of the Garden of Gethsemani, and of Jesus in his agony and torment, at the center of the Garden.

A part of what made the event so meaningful was the dedication of the statuary -- in memory of James Chaney, Michael Schwerner and Andrew Goodman, the 3 civil rights workers who were slain in Mississippi while they were engaged in voter registration. They laid down their lives for freedom -- not their own, but for oppressed people they didn't even know.

As we approach an historic, pivotal moment in our history next Tuesday, many have remarked how they never believed they would live to see the day. And we remember many of those who did not live long enough to see this come to pass: Dr. King, Medgar Evers, Rosa Parks and many others. This week, I am remembering James Chaney, Michael Schwerner and Andrew Goodman.

Yes YOU did. Yes WE did. Well done, good and faithful servants. Rest in peace.

Shalom,
Warren